Hi David and everyone,

Before I pressed "more", I thought you changed your mind and we were going to talk about a difficult topic again! I'm glad you were just joking.

Coincidentally, I just learned the word "superstitious" when I read "The Phantom of the Opera" a few weeks ago. Actually, I'd met that word before, but it was one of my "I have studied this words before, but I can't remember the meaning" words. I'm glad you gave me a chance to use it.

Anyway, here are my stories.

1) I also learned about a lot of superstitions while I'm growing up. My mother often told me that it was not a good idea to cut your nails at night because you wouldn't be able to be there for your parents when they passes away. I have more to write on this question, but I'll save them for everyone.

2) I like four-leaf clovers. My mother gave me one a long time ago(She made it into a pressed-leaf), and I still keep it in my purse. The other day, one of my daughter's friends gave me a pressed four-leaf clover, so I made it into a bookmark, and I'm using it now. By the way, I've heard that if you find a four-leaf clover with someone you love, you can marry her/him. Who did you find so many with??

3) I'm not superstitious, but sometimes I have to check my calendar to choose a good day for an event. There are certain days that some events or ceremonies shouldn't be held on like "butsumetsu"(仏滅). I don't really believe it, but it's one of the common rules that a lot of people follow.

Look forward to reading your stories.

Tomo

PS David - You'll always be forever young;-)

•  Tomo
• 2011年5月16日 18:36

【訂正】
...when they passes away → when they pass away

•  Tomo
• 2011年5月16日 18:41

Hi David,
Did you have a nice day?
As you know, my birthday is 4/9. Most of Japanese don't like either of the numbers because these numbers remind them of "死" and "苦". I like these numbers because they remind me of "幸せが来る", but I never use these numbers on my car as a license plate!（笑）

Here are my stories.

1) When I was a child, my grandmother told me that you must not step on ropes or cords because you would have lengthy illness if you did it. Of course, I know it is just a superstition, but I never step on them.

2) I like "茶ばしら". Do you know it?

3) I'm not superstitious, but when I go to bed, I never place my pillow on the north side because it is the manner for a dead person.

Hi newcomers,
Nice to meet you! I'm Amica. Let's enjoy learning English!

Amica

•  Amica
• 2011年5月16日 22:05

Hi David and everyone

I didn’t know that it was David’s birthday on May 16th.
Happy birthday, David!!
Thinking about it, we usually make our birthday cake with the number of candles equivalent to our ages. Why? Do you know about that?

Sorry. I answer your this week’s question with an effort.
Here’s my stories

1) I come to superstition that it is lucky to see spiders in a morning and it is unlucky to see spiders in a evening. My mother often told me when she found spiders.
2) I like welcoming cat called “manekineko”. Sometimes when I had a bad day, I hope Welcoming cat really call happiness.
3) I agree with Amica. I also never place my pillow on the north side.

It is difficult for me to write English what I want to say.
But it is good to discover various things I didn’t know.

Good night everyone.
Cocon

•  Cocon
• 2011年5月16日 22:40

Hi David,

You got me!! When I was reading your new entry, I started thinking that I would be going to skip this topic!
Anyway, as for the topic (of course, superstitions,) I have heard a lot of them when I was a child, but I forget most of them. I remember the one that Tomo mentioned, though. About 2 and 3, nothing springs to mind at the moment. It seems that I am not that superstitious. Maybe I am a bit sleepy so that I can’t think of anything today. If something comes to mind, I will write it down later.

Hi newcomers,

Nice to have you with us. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Bye for now,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年5月16日 23:58

Hi David
Was it your birthday? Happy Birthday!
I first heard that a black cat is a symbol of a good luck. When I was young, I heard that it was a bad day when a black cat past across your path.

1) I've heard if you whistled at the night, a snake came. I don't know why, and what's the problem with that.
2) I'm happy when I find "ギザ10" that is old type10 yen coin which has notched edge. I keep it in my wallet.
3) I never stand the chopsticks on rice (We do it for dead people). I'm not superstitious, too.

Hi Everyone
I saw a movie "Black Swan" last weekend. It was good movie. Natalie Portman showed great performance. It depicts mental condition of a new prima donna and beauty of a ballet. If you have no problem with shocking and sexual express, it is worth a watch.

Have a nice day
trmr

•  trmr
• 2011年5月17日 07:34

Hi David and everyone
I’m sure your mother is very proud of you now, David ^^
About the topic, I think there are a lot of superstitions in China, I wish I could tell you some, unfortunately I can’t remember anything right now. Does that mean I’m not a superstitious person or I’m having a senior moment simply (lol)?
I’m certainly not familiar with Japanese superstitions, so it’s interesting to read everyone’s comment. It seems that Japan and China have something in common on this. For example, I also heard the spider one (which Cocon mentioned) and the chopsticks one (which trmr mentioned) when I was in China. And like Tomo, many Chinese people will check the calendar and choose a lucky day for any events or ceremonies even though they don’t believe it very much.
Anyway, here are my answers.
1. I’ve heard a superstition that is only known in Tokyo many times. There is a big park here called “Inokashira Koen” where people can ride boats in the lake, it says that couples who ride a boat there will break up finally. I don’t think many people believe it because every time when I go there, there are always many couples riding on a boat.
2. I like four-leaf clover because it’s a common symbol of luck, I prefer numbers 6 and 8 because they are lucky numbers in my country.
3. If I have the choice, I will avoid the number 4 because it’s considered unlucky both in Japan and China.

•  Ling
• 2011年5月17日 17:07

Hi David and everyone,

As David mentioned, different countries have different cultures.
I’ve learned about them from my mother and other adults when I was growing up, and I can name a lot!
One that I remember well is that your pxxxs will swell if you pee onto an earthworm. Sorry, it’s not a decent story, but when I was a kid, my friend’s mother said to him, and I’ll never forget it. He was really a naughty boy!

Let me share my stories about this week’s questions:
(1) There are a lot of foods you should not eat together like “Watermelon( or watermelons/a slice of watermelon?) and Tempura” and “eels and pickled plums.”
Some of them are good reasons because eating together disturbs your digestion and is bad for your health, but some are baseless.
(2) What make me happy are finding a stalk upright in my teacup and “four-leaf clovers.”
Since I grew up in the middle of nowhere, I sometimes found them when I was playing with my friends.

(3) Like Amica and cocon, I don’t sleep with the head towards north. Judging from the manner in Japanese funeral practices, it sounds sensible.

Some of the superstitions are from our ancestor’s wisdom, and some have been said to teach children manners.
It’s really interesting to know these backgrounds,isn't it?

Hi trmr,
You did? That's great! I'm seeing it this week or maybe next week.

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年5月17日 17:15

PS.
it's me again.
I'm glad this week's topic isn't about the financial problems in Europe!!

•  Anne
• 2011年5月17日 17:18

Happy birthday, David!

Here is my answer on your questions.
1) The first I came up was the same as tomo’s. Before reading tomo’s comment, I had been wondering how to say “親の死に目に会えない”. And I thought it would probably be “...would not be able to…”. When I found tomo expressed the same as me, I was happy as if she gave me an answer.

Time is running out. I’m looking forward to reading all of your comments!

See you,

taco

•  taco
• 2011年5月17日 18:40

I forgot to say…
I can’t tell the difference between superstitions and taboos exactly.

I heard people in western countries don’t open an umbrella in the room, do they, David? When I heard that, I first thought how they purchase an umbrella without checking its design.

•  taco
• 2011年5月17日 18:49

Hello, everyone.

David, you made me laugh. I was almost going to study the financial problems in Europe!

I think I'm not a very superstitious person but I like to believe in good luck. As some people mentioned about "4", if I got number 4, then I try to believe "幸せ."
If I got 13, I think it means "いいぞ." (笑)
Also I like the number of 4 because I have a family of 4.

Here are my answers.
1. I'd like to tell you about American's superstition.
When you say something that will be good, you will knock on wood to stop it going bad.
For example if I say, "Oh, I don't catch a cold nowadays!" then I have to knock on wood otherwise I would get catch a cold. I don't believe it but I sometimes knock on wood. That means I believe it?
I don't have any statistics but I don't get any bad luck when I do it. ( You know, I knocked on wood twice right now!)笑.

2. In japan I've heard about "birds dropping" is a good luck because "糞"s pronunciation similar to "運", also it's a very rare event... I am not sure this is true or not.
But I was happy when I got IT under the tree a few weeks ago! It was my first time to get it... but I went back home in haste, washing my clothes! It was a strange feeling.

Since then I always bring an umbrella to avoid "IT"!
I am still happy if I get it but I don't want to get it directly.
Now people call me "umbrella lady" in this town because American don't use a parasol.
Nobody knows the real reason about my umbrella. Anyway there are lots of trees in this town!

3. I don't know I can say this is a superstitious or not but I don't carry food from chopsticks to chopsticks.

Have a nice day at work everyone!
animal farm

•  animal farm
• 2011年5月18日 12:44

maybe it's a mistake...

If I got number 4→ If I get number 4
If I got 13→ If I get number 13

13→いいぞ（1=い）(3=ぞ）. ( I need one more 1)...
Thanks.

•  animal farm
• 2011年5月18日 12:56

Hi David and everyone,

David, I'm glad that you were just joking to gave us another serious topic
My commuper isn't working properly: the screen is very very dark. I manage to read though.

As for the topic, I heard people who have big earlobes can be rich. (This is not true because when I was a child I often be told that but I'm not rich at all!)
Black cats are considered bad omens in Japan: that's opposite to Western countries.
We have a belief called 'Yakudoshi' ( when men and women become certain ages they have to be careful because they might get ill or get injured. And the ages are different between men and women.)
Come to think of it, we have a lot of such beliefs.
For example, color red is considered as auspicious color. That's why most of Torii (Gate of Shinto shrines) are painted red. We eat some auspicious food for happy occasions. Like seabreams:the reason is sea breams turn red when they are cooked and we call them Tai in Japanese. Tai has same sound as Medetai which means happy in Japanese. On New years days we eat Osechiryouri (special dish for New Years days). Most of ingredients of Osechi have some meanings. For example, Kazunoko (herring roe) are believed to bring offsprings.
Salt is considered to have the power to ward off evil spirits. That's way Sumo wrestlers scatter them before their matches.

See you!
Fumie.

•  Fumie
• 2011年5月18日 15:49

Hi David and everyone.

This is my second try on the blog.
I need to have much time to read and write though :)

1) What are some popular superstitions in Japan?

When you see a hearse pass by,you shold fold your hand and put a thumb into a palm.
I didn't know what happend if do not,but my grandmother told me that when I was a child.

2) Is there anything that you do or like because you think it is lucky?
3) Is there anything that you don't do or don't like because you think it is unlucky?

I would say about them a same word "言霊”
If you would say a good word or phrase,good things happen.
Or vise versa.
It might not be a superstition .
But I strongly believed this and always try to say good words or phrases for me and for my son( at the moment,I avoid any nagative word when I talk to him.)

"Four-leaf clovers"
Ofcourse I know.
In my yonger ages,I tried to find one on the way back home from school.
One day, surprisingly I found three or four "four-leaf clovers" in the same place!
It was a very moment to not to believe the story of "four-leaf clovers"!

By the way,
Glad to meet you again all!
I 'm going to read this blog and study millions of expressions !

I have to go to bed tonight.
See you soon...

•  匿名
• 2011年5月18日 22:11

Good morning .

I commented last night,but I fogot to add my name again.
It was noriko whom mentioned about 言霊.

なぜいれたつもりの署名が消えるのでしょうね？
念のため本文の最後に名前を入れた方がbetterかな・・・？

noriko

•  匿名
• 2011年5月19日 08:35

Hi, everyone,
Ah, yes, I nearly got ready for checking about the topic as you all mentioned. Fortunately, we didn't have to though:)

Here are some answers;
1)When I was little, my mum kept saying "you eat all the rice served, do not dump even a grain of rice, otherwise you're going to be blind". It really scared my sis and me, but thanks to that I learnt not to waste food. Still now she keeps saying at the table, by the way.
2)Not particularly, but I throw 5-yen coin in an offertory box when I visit shrine or temple in order to drew a good chance of meeting people or things(I don't think there is an exact word for "縁" in English, but what do you say if you use or describe it, David? I thought fate or destiny could be used but it doesn't sound like it, and I'm really not sure.)
3)I don't sleep with my head towards north neither like Amica, Cocon and Anne.
I also do not leave a cover of toilet open because, apparently, evil or malicious things are coming from toilets so we need to close not them to march into our house.
I never stick chopsticks into rice nor carry food from chopsticks to chopsticks like animal farm.

Hi, Ling,
There is a similar tradition in Miyajima. I live in Hiroshima and it's said that if you go there with your boyfriend or girlfriend, you're going to split up because a deity of the shrine is a woman so if she sees you with him/her, she's going to be jealous and makes a estrangement between them, you can see lots of couples there though.

See you soon,
momo

•  momo
• 2011年5月19日 10:59

hi, noriko,
yes, I think you should put your name on the end of your comment. I also found sometimes my name won't be showed up so I do what you say;))
momo

•  momo
• 2011年5月19日 11:05

Hi noriko,

I'm not sure why it happens, but I guess when you review your comment and then click the post button, your name might disappear, so make sure your name again before posting.
By the way, I like the word "言霊（kotodama),too.
I hope you don't mind if I refer to this, but just for the record, you don't need to add 'about' after 'mention.' This is a kind of word David often mentions here as an example that Japanese make mistakes^^)

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年5月19日 11:21

Hi taco,
I'm glad my idea is the same as yours, but I'd never said "親の死に目に会えない" in English, so I may be wrong. Also, I was not sure about which tense to use in the when clause because I used indirect speech. I first wrote "when they passed away" but changed my mind, and I used the present tense. I'm not sure about this point either, so I'm looking forward to David's feedback:)

Hi everyone,
Thanks for sharing your stories. I knew most of the superstitions and lucky/unlucky items you mentioned, but I'd never heard of "ギザ10". I have to check my purse! 笑

I'd like to add one more superstition. Like everyone else, I learned those kinds of stories from my parents. My mother told me that you shouldn't wear new shoes at night because they bring bad luck. I think there are some reasons for this superstition, but I can't remember them.

Hi noriko,
コメントを書いた後にPreviewを押して読み直すと、入れたはずの名前が消えてしまうので、もう一度入力する必要があります。　毎回入力し直すのが面倒な場合は、コメント欄の下の Remember personal info? の所を「はい」にチェックを入れてみて下さい。「はい」にすると名前が記憶されるので、次がら入力しなくてもよくなりますよ＾＾　(preview しても消えません)

Talk to you later,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2011年5月19日 11:29

Hi momo

Nice to talk to you :)
Yes,I'll do it from now on,just in case.
Thank you :)

Hi Anne

Nice to talk to you :)
Thank you for telling me :>
I always need this information,it really helps me!

Hi Tomo

Nice to talk to you :)
Remember personal info? のところにチェックを入れるんですね。ありがとうございます。
いまひとつパソコンの扱いに難ある私なんですが・・・トライしてみますね！

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年5月19日 13:32

Hi everyone.

I enjoyed reading everyone's interesting stories and believes. I've also heard about "ギザ10" before so when I found it in my wallet it always made me happy.

I also believe the spirit of words(言霊). I think most Japanese people respect words. I think it's great!

It seems to similar to positive thought.
That is why people try to think a good way when they get a bad thing... maybe.
I think we can see what we want to see.

I don't believe any bad luck but I respect the other people's rites and behaviors (north pillow, nail cut at night, so on).

Today was a heavy rainy day but I appreciate my uneventful day today. Thanks!

animal farm.

•  animal farm
• 2011年5月19日 13:56

Hi David and everyone,
♪Happy birthday to you from my heart,David! I don't know and said that for the delay.

Hi amo,
Thank you for correcting! It's not "feedbacks" but "feedback",isn't it? Yes, I see, and I learned.

Hi animal farm,
That's too bad about "umbrella lady"!

I've read comments with fun in this time. Again you all have already said what I wanted to say...
1) I wonder if it's popular or not, you should put on new shoese at the first time before the sun goes down to the west ( in the daytime ). This is what my grandmother often said.

2)As Amica said, I think that's 茶ばしら episode. When you have some green tea, if you pour it into your cup and you can see standing a piece of tea leaves into it,you can have a good luck!

3)I don't remember, I'm afraid.

I wonder superstition also have, as Anne said, what you teach children manners including dead person.

So see you soon, and glad to have you with us, Cocon!

•  chiki
• 2011年5月19日 15:49

Hi everyone,
I really enjoyed reading your comments, thank you guys!

taco,
Not to open an umbrella inside a house, I also heard this when I was little, I was told that if you did that, you wouldn’t grow taller. I guess it’s made to teach children manners in my country. I have no idea why it’s said in western countries.

Animal farm,
Your “bird dropping” story made me laugh, I’ve never thought IT means good luck in Japan. Actually a couple of months ago I nearly got IT right on my face! I was really shocked at that time and I shouted to myself “oh sxxx, how’s the day going to be!” Maybe next time, I can take this more calmly^^.
You seem to live in a town with a lot of nature, you are lucky in any rate.

Momo,
You reminded me to find out why “Inokashira koen” had that jinx. I goggled it and found that it had the same story as Miyajima. There’s a dity(弁財天さま) in the park, she’s very jealous and she believes that all the men in the world belong to her, so of course she will try to make all couples she has seen break up. There seem to be quite a few places like this in Japan.

Fumie,
How’s you computer now? I hope it can be fixed soon.

•  Ling
• 2011年5月20日 11:43

Sorry,dity→deity

•  Ling
• 2011年5月20日 11:54